The Myriad: That Still Quiet Voice

John Roger Schofield of The Myriad sends in this devotional from the road, Albuquerque to be exact.

"If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open."                                                             James 1: 5-8 The Message

Sometimes prayer feels pointless. If we're truly honest with ourselves we have to admit that often times prayer feels simply like doing ten push ups for God: a chore, a ritual that is ineffectual and powerless. We'd much rather fix the big problems facing us today all by our lonesome. We're busy. We can do holy push ups later. God knows what's up... He's busy too.

But stop! This passage from James shouts: "NO! Quit making noise, be still for the silent voice. I know a better way." James tells us to quit drifting about at sea... leaving all our options open... never getting anywhere. God wants us to be bold and take our faith by the horns, to live our faith out every day. This means completely different things to different people, but the message is really all the same.

Do you really believe that God is sovereign, huge, and truly cares for every second of your existence within this, His created realm? Do you honestly believe that the Word is indeed a living, breathing road map to glory, to Him, to love, to eternal beauty, truth, and light?

This tour we're currently on (David Crowder Remedy Tour) lasts about a month and a half. Now, my personal, nagging proclivity is to blow through Scripture and conquer all the books: boom boom boom! I'm working on finishing the Bible in its entirety for the second time now and am getting quite close. At the start of the tour as I packed my little tour Bible I thought to myself "Man, I should be able to blow through like four books, especially New Testament ones, on this tour... since I'll have so much time on the bus, ...goody, I'm so holy!"

This is a bad, A.D.D. proclivity that I have. And God (I think) likes it not! So as I packed it snugly away in my orange backpack I suddenly felt an inkling of electricity run through my brain, saying: "Hold right there. You will read the book of James 20 times plus on this tour. You will not deviate. Be quiet and let the book of James read you.”

When that little voice speaks I have to follow. So I'm reading the same five chapters for a month and a half. And, you know what? I've never been happier. I'm learning so much as the same lines roll over and over in my mind. Hermeneutics times a million. God is good. I have so much to learn from every single letter of scripture.

The Word never quits. It's unflagging in its song: that familiar tune of the straight and narrow, our sanctification road, the way, replete with plucking banjos, mighty oaks, grasshoppers, and that fragrant foliage country quiet that disquiets the soul into action.


"Lord of hosts, You are holy, You are glorious. Lord of hosts, fall on us and change us, and rip us to shreds with your ineffable mercy and love. You are the live vibration, the lambent rhythm on the string of the banjo. You are the haunting,furtive rustle playing on the summer leaves of the oak. You are frightening and You are most certainly home. Amen."